But there are rumors. Ones he is being shopped around — although the ones that he could be moved for Ryan Anderson of the Pelicans have no validity — or that he could bolt as a free agent. It’s all about the money. Memphis is a small market team that isn’t going to pay the luxury tax and Marc Gasol is going to get a big contract again in a couple years. So Randolph could be the odd man out.

“Go figure,” Z-Bo said following the Grizzlies shootaround at New Orleans Arena on Friday. “Memphis is a place that I’ve come to love and call home and it’s where I would definitely like to retire. I haven’t made any secret of that. Everybody out there knows how I feel.

“I look at it like this: I understand it’s a business. I really do understand that. This is a small market team and money plays a factor. I understand all that. It’s different now. I don’t know if it’s just changes in (salary cap) rules or just a change in the way of the world. Like I said, it’s a business.

“But yeah, it bothers me. It hurts a little bit. I can’t deny that. But it goes to show you that there ain’t no loyalty in this game. It seems like you only get loyalty in certain organizations. You see it in winning organizations like the Spurs, the Lakers, the Heat.

“The truth is there ain’t no loyalty or love, except in certain organizations where they keep players around, value them. Only a very few organizations seem like they want to keep players around to retire there.”

If you want know another benefit of the oversized deal for Kobe Bryant or keeping Dwyane Wade on the roster, there it is.

Randolph has a player option for $16.9 million next season. He can make that and stay in Memphis, or at age 32 he can opt out and get one last good contract, one that likely takes him close to the end of his career. He wants that to be in Memphis, a place he believes they have a shot at a title.

But it’s a business. A harsh one at times. Randolph could get moved if the right deal comes along and there will be a lot more rumors with him at the center between now and the trade deadline.

“It seems like you only get loyalty in certain organizations. You see it in winning organizations like the Spurs, the Lakers, the Heat.”

Ouch. Taking a shot at his team. It’s not like they’re a losing organization. They’ve been successful the past few years, but Zach is right.

Zach can be effective for a few more seasons with his turtle like athleticism. Is it the worst thing for Memphis to offer him a 3-4 year contract worth $10 million a year. It’s not like its a Kobe deal and he’s a double double machine.

Lots of folks get comfortable in a job and happily live their whole lives doing the same thing for the same employer in the same city. Nothing wrong with Zach wanting to do the same thing. But, instead of considering the “Kobe deal”, maybe he should consider the “Garnett and Pierce deals” where both are going to always have a home in Boston after they get finished raking in some extra cash from some of the other team owners.

I’m on the fence on his comments. I think it’s great that he mentions the Spurs – a small market team just like Memphis – as a winning and loyal organization. He is very correct on that. At the same time, come free agency, players like him, Al Jefferson, Josh Smith etc. won’t give San Antonio the time of day. If it is REALLY about loyalty and not taking a payday, then take some contender’s mid-level exception, for 5 million (or so) a year less -or something within reason – than you might get from a middle to lower tier team, and help them win. Then you might nit be complaining mid-season because you suddenly realize that the bottom feeder you chose to sign with and get paid stinks. Providing you don’t burn all of your money, whats a few mill less a year to ya, right?

Look at Shane Battier, Mike Miller (amnestied no longer with the team, I’m aware…), Rashard Lewis and on down the Heat roster. They’re collecting rings.